American football is played on a rectangular field, divided into several zones, in which two teams compete, using an oval-shaped ball, where the players of each team aim to reach the ball to the opponent team’s end zone, known as the “End Zone.” To score the highest number of points and win a 60-minute match.
Each team includes 11 players, who are required to wear basic protective equipment, such as a helmet and shoulder pads. To ensure their safety because the game requires speed in movement and running, and high endurance and stamina.
The beginnings of American football and the first official match
The history of American football dates back to the early nineteenth century, when it arose in universities and colleges as a modified version and mixture of traditional football and rugby. It included somewhat different rules of play than they do at the present time, as at first only kicking and passing the ball was allowed using… The feet or hands are provided that they remain on the ground, meaning that it is closer to the traditional sport of football than to the sport of rugby.
On November 6, 1869, the first official match was held within the previous rules between Princeton University and Rutgers University in the United States of America, and included 25 players on each team, and this match was a turning point in the history of American football. , as the game began to gain the attention of many players in the country.
The development of American football and amendments to the laws of play
With the spread of the game widely in the country, differences appeared in the rules of play between universities. It was allowed to touch and throw the ball using the hands and not just the feet, similar to the game of rugby. It was adopted as a basic game within the university football season in 1876, and at that time the sport was characterized by violence and intense jostling. Among players, it often leads to serious injuries and even deaths.
Here, in 1905, about 62 universities decided to meet and develop a set of playing rules to regulate the game, except for Harvard University, which preferred to establish its own rules of play, which later became a prominent turning point in the laws of the game of American football, and the basis for the known laws in football. Currently, the player Walter Camp played a fundamental role in amending the rules of the game of American football, which earned him the title of “The Father of American Football.”
The NFL and the Super Bowl
In 1920, the National Football League (NFL) was established and included the regular season, which is an important and very popular sporting event, held annually in which 32 teams compete. After that, the final stage begins in one or two months, in which the best 14 teams compete. Based on each team’s performance during the regular season.
The National League ends with the Super Bowl, which is known as the final match in the National Football League (NFL), as it is the most prominent event in this sport, and brings together a huge audience of fans of this sport from all over the world.
The Super Bowl was established in 1967, and is held annually in various locations within the United States of America between the two best teams from the National League, where the team that wins the match receives a trophy named “Vince Lombardi,” which belongs to one of the most famous and inspiring coaches in the history of the league.
American college football championship
The American College Football Championship (CFP) was established in 2014, and is known as an annual event held in three sessions in different locations within the United States of America, in which teams from several universities compete, and then the two best teams are selected through a special committee, which reviews the teams’ performance. During the season, based on multiple criteria, such as overall performance, and win-loss records, the two teams finally compete for the title of “National Champion.”
The International Federation of American Football World Championship
The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) was established in 1998 and is the body responsible for organizing and managing American football. It selects and leads the various national teams and plays a vital role in developing them and expanding their spread.
The International Federation of American Football (IFAF World Championship) is known as an international competition, organized between national teams from different countries, and is held every four years, with each team seeking to win the world title.
the reviewer
[1] britannica.com, American football
[2] topendsports.com, American Football (Gridiron)
[3] sportsfoundation.org, 18 Most Important American Football Tournaments
[4] newworldencyclopedia.org, Football (American)
[5] eventsworldwide.com, Major American football events